Travelogue Nepal by Louis-Simon Roy
Departure from Montreal to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). The flight was very good and I had the wonderful chance to be in first class. After about 55 flights with this type of plane tickets (I have a Stand-By tickets because my girlfriend works for SPANAIR), I was pleased to finally have this privilege. At check-in, I was given a place near the wings but the final point of entry of the aircraft that changed my ticket to give me a seat at # 7. I also felt a change in the tone of voice of the woman who gave me my new ticket. I am therefore in the plane and I headed to the first class. I was sitting in a little cabin just get my coat and offered me a glass of champagne. The seat was so comfortable and the food so good that I thought it was a penalty for a flight only 6 hours. I knew I had a 11am flight between Paris and Bangkok. I never thought to say that in my life. Like what life sometimes surprises us with pleasant little surprises.
The flight from Montreal to Paris was very good and I arrived at the airport in Paris smoothly and with no delay. In addition to the meal was on board, I was able to sleep two hours in which chairs could be placed in the shape of the bed. A luxury for large who are having difficulty sleeping or just sitting tilted. I stayed in Paris for 4 days to see my love.
Then Monday 4 May is the big departure for Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. In fact, I have to take two flights to get to Nepal. A first between Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Bangkok (BKK) and one in Bangkok (BKK) to Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital.
In Paris, I arrived at the counter of Thai Airways to 11:30 in the hope that the flight is not full. The type of ticket usually requires me to wait in before entering, and only if a place is free in the aircraft. On a flight from 300-400 seats, I have usually no trouble to get a seat. Against by certain destinations between Europe and America are so popular that it is sometimes difficult to have one place on 2-3 free flights on the same day.
I arrive at the counter and therefore we do not expect my ticket descernant me a seat. I am very happy as this make sure to arrive in time for my second flight (between Bangkok and Kathmandu). I therefore to 6:00 am in Bangkok and I will try my luck for the 9:55 flight between the capital of Thailand and Nepal. The flight from Paris takes about 11:00 and left at 13h40 with Thai Airways and 19.00 if you take Air France.
I arrive in Bangkok, capital of Thailand and I decided to direct me to the location of check-in for my next flight (between Bangkok and Kathmandu). It's funny but I can not find the flight on the start screen. I looked calmly but not always. I decided to go directly to the counter of Thai Airways in the international departures section. We reassure me that a flight exists. It sends me to a special window for employees of airlines. I am a little nervous to tell me that there are no seats for the flight from Kathmandu. The problem is that there is only one flight from KTM to BKK and every day. If there are no places, I have to find a small hotel in Bangkok overnight. I expect a little and the lady told me to put my luggage to check-in. To see his reaction very posed, I am not convinced that it has a place. I ask him then. It does not answer me. Waiting ... She smiles when saying, "You have a seat mister Roy" Super! I am very happy because when my book is up, I know that the case is in the pocket! So I go to Kathmandu, the dream of all the hippies (even though I am not, the destination is a dream!)
Services between Charles de Gaulle and Bangkok with Thai Airways: The theft of 11 h is interspersed with beverage service. First, after takeoff, an aperitif is served to passengers: water, tomato juice, soft drink, wine ... Then, about 30 minutes after the meal is served. On the flight I took, the meal was good but a lot less hot than usual. Then, about 4-5heures after takeoff from Paris Charles de Gaul, a small sandwich is served with a beverage. At all times against, it is possible to get to the point of service to comply Refresh with a little water, juice or soft drink. Finally, less than two hours before arrival, lunch is served. We finally arrive in Bangkok where the whole city wakes up.
Despite fatigue, the adventure begins! The arrival to the customs smoothly. For Canadians and for most Western nationals, the Thai visa is not required for a stay of less than 30 days. It is therefore no great need that I have received the stamp knowing that I fly (at least I hope) to Kathmandu. On leaving the plane and follow the signs leading us to our luggage (follow the "baggage claim", we see a small section for those nationalities requiring a visa. I am a little reluctant to say if I should not go there but I try my luck directly to Thai customs (and visa), telling me that if I needed something, they probably would say to me very quickly. I'm going to and the only question of customs was: "How long do you stay in Thailand ^" One day. It is the stamp I can stay in Thailand for 30 days then I go out to the Customs search of my bag which was soon to out. So I headed towards the departure area on the second or third floor. The arrival is on the first floor. Therefore, follow directions and up two floors to get to the departure area "Departure." The check -in for Thai Airways are in area J for international flights. The hostesses are friendly and courteous.
The Bangkok airport is large enough but after the customs which is most interesting for those who love shopping. The shops are numerous and those in search of big brands will be served. Please note that prices are not necessarily less expensive. For my part, I buy my perfume in Canada at $ 95 with taxes (and those who know know that Canada taxes are very important). As against, for the pleasure of seeing if I was a bargain, I asked the price of the same scent at the duty free shop at the airport in Bangkok. Answer: $ 112 This is perhaps an exception or simply because they are luxury goods, but it is decidedly not on any bargains! So check and compare prices before making a purchase that you think interesting. You never know!
At Bangkok airport, all restaurants before customs at the same floor. It is on the top floor that you can check-in. Another thing to note, there are internet cafes at exhorbitant prices (for Thailand) 100 Bhats for 20 min. But if it is an emergency, it is worth paying that price. You will get a small card that you can reuse in terms of credit you have left after you utilize do. The Internet cafe is located at the end completely out of the floor where you check-in. There is another (where you can use the same card) when entering the international zone. This internet cafe is located on the first floor.
I finally take the plane to Kathmandu and landed at the Tribhuvan airport. I am surprised by the size (small) from the airport. With a single track, it reminded me of my arrival at the airport in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
The steps to follow upon arrival at the Kathmandu airport seems a bit erratic. We arrive and the first step is to make the line for obtaining a visa in Nepal if you have not already. If you have planned to get to your arrival in Kathmandu, you will have a picture with you and pay on the spot. The price depends on what you enter your card on arrival. For my part, I added that I stay 6 weeks and was then announced that the price would be 100 U.S. for a three-month visa. When the Nepalese customs m'annonce price, I am speechless mouth-but the queue of people waiting for me to do it quickly. I pay and I'll be back with another wicket to take the visa and then go to another counter to receive the stamp. These three counters are placed together and each agent will tell you where you go to the next step. I'm going to wait for my luggage and bag one of the first sort. I expect two other Canadians met at the door for my flight to Kathmandu. Shortly after we leave customs and we are immediately assailed by many taxi drivers Nepal scenting great deals. One of them proposes to bring us Thamel (tourist center) to Nepalese Rupees 250. Arriving in the car we are told that the price is 500 rupees. Too tired to argue, I told him that it will. So we are having and the man sitting next to me said he has a hotel and if we go to his hotel, transportation will be free. But since my new friend (the Canadian) had an appointment with another friend in a guesthouse, we must go to another place. We really decided to rent a room in his hotel, the man insists many Nepali! Finally, I will see the rooms in this hotel but decided to follow my two Canadian friends. I am very pleased to have arrived safely at Kathmandu Peace Guesthouse. I will put my things in the room and decides to go explore the city a bit. I first stomach to see the life and atmosphere of downtown Kathmandu. Even if I am in the heart of the tourist part, life remains very traditional. Smells and colors are very exotic in this district of Kathmandu. This is the gathering place of many "backpackers and small hotels not too expensive. We can expect to pay between 4-10 U.S. a night. I'm going to walk me and meet many people that I offer treks and expeditions of any kind to the four corners of Nepal. I do take the game and whenever I say kindly and listen what they have to offer. This allows me to still share a tea with some Nepalese and get to know some. We speak together in all languages and the experience is very pleasant. Only a few more people who make less insistent joking. You just need to be prepared to tell them that everything is already organized. To make sure not to have more discussions, lower-price offers that have been made. For example, I told them that I was offered a trek of 18 days for U.S. 400 in Annapurna. At that price, few agencies will engage the competition.
I am a 18-day trek around the Annapurnna U.S. 525 for 18 days. JJE say to my hotel to the man at the reception of my Hootelé just intend to have an opinion on the matter. He then called his boss who also organizes trek in this region. I met him the next day and 380 U.S. for organizing a trip with him. I therefore Ferrai 10 days for the base camp of Annapurna, from Pokhara. On 8 May, I go for Pokharara after spending 3 nights in Kathmandu. One of the highlights of my stay in Kathmandu was not called against the manifestation of former Maoist soldiers. Following a political issue in recent days, many events have started in all the country. The problem is the integration of 13 000 former combatants in the Maoist army. When the government has refused their integration, rebel movements have seen the day. Thus, in the evening of May 6, former soldiers demonstrated in chanting chorus and communists running with flaming torches. I can see at least 200 of his men running in the dark streets of Kathmandu in the evening. It was very impressive.
Beginning the trek to base camp of Annapurna:
I am therefore left in Pokhara May 8 in the morning to bring together two Irish who had to do the trek with me. The journey of 7 hours worries me a little because I do not feel great to the stomach. I probably ate something that I should not have. But it is not the adventure ^ So we try stuff. Finally, I organize myself not to take lunch so as not to have to suffer for hours in the bus. So, I go quiet 7heures in the morning. It takes about 45 minutes out of the Kathmandu Valley, which allows me to see areas of the city that I never discovered.
The first break is at 9.15am and restaurateurs we expect strong feet. But since I do not swallow because I know that I have at least 4-5 hours of travel, waiting near the bus looking around. We are hitting the road again and discover new landscapes. The trip to Pokhara I can get a first impression of life in the countryside. It's very different from home. The rice fields, women in red and yellow saris walking along the rice fields with multicolored umbrellas for protection from midday sun. Beautiful images of Nepal that I try to take with my camera but does not represent the magnitude of what I have in this country in northern India.
We finally arrived in Pokhara around 13:30 and the first impression is the bus station and taxi drivers trying to take you to your destination. The problem was quickly resolved because I have my guide and he asked the driver if the bus can come directly to the hotel Pookhara (Yeti Hotel). He accepted and we are hitting the road again with the same bus. The room is pleasant and very large! The city parrait beautiful here and I am enchanted by the place. A lake stretches along the main road and adds to the charm of this city already pretty. I walk a bit and discovered the region with pleasure. I have no trouble finding an Internet cafe in Pokhara since they're everywhere. I want to give news to my family by talking about the adventure that awaits me in the Annapurna. And what an adventure!!
We had anticipated starting at 7:00 am with the Irish but we finally left at 9.00 to a Russian and an Australian. So sometimes things change! We take the bus to Naya Pool and this experience was one of the most beautiful. We travel on the roof of the bus and found pleasure with landscapes of high mountains for about 2 hours. Apart from the discomfort when the road was particularly bad, the experience was absolutely divine. The view of life in Nepal was very pretty. During the trip between Pokhara and Naya Pool, we found small villages and mountain flank interview a little life to the tough times but simple.
Upon our arrival at Naya Pool, we just eat in a canteen and we prepare a little. Then it was the start on foot. My bag is heavy but at the beginning, I do not feel it. We begin by longer a river where you can see people swim and fish in the River. The scenery is beautiful but I'm too busy concentrating to put my feet on the stones without falling. I quickly realized that my bag is too heavy and that it will be very difficult physically. In addition to feeling that my stomach is not completely restored, the dehydration caused by a small increase diahrée my weakness. At one point climb, I can not take it anymore and I told myself that I did not go to the base camp of Annapurna. I take a break and m'allonge! I am absolutely tired and it's less than an hour we walk in the mountains. My guide, to reassure me tells me that tomorrow will be a tough day! (Thanks!) Finally this break makes me feel good. I want to drink water, m'hydrater and this is my recuperation. I continued and the rest of the day is going pretty well. The small villages of Nepal are not but many people are smiling and often the journey is very enjoyable. I realized quite quickly that my advantage is my stomach and dehydration that were the cause of my overwhelming need to stop walking at the very beginning. The lunch d [iner was highly appreciated and enabled me to gain strength and feel of attack for the end of the day walking in the mountains. We finally arrive to the lodge in 15h (quite comfortable indeed!) Along this path, we saw several small villages in Nepal where we could once again see their rustic lifestyle and simple.
The only trick is that if you arrive early in the lodge, the village is not so great after a good shower you probably want to go see it a little (not your bag, what a pleasure !!!!). You'll find a small terrace for a tea, a drink fra [iche or a good beer. This is one of the pleasures of long days trekking in the Himalayas. I return to 18h to lodge Thikedhunga I m'asseois with two travelers encountered on the path: Bertrand of New Caledonia and Florence in Montpellier. We bavardons the rest of the evening with our guides as well. We laugh a lot and tell stories of travel. Fun is waiting for you. This village is Tikhedhunga.
The next day, the big departure for a long, hard day of climbing especially in the first two hours. Leaving the village of Tikhedhunga. A distance of 10km to go uphill sometimes very important. In the morning, the weather is clear and we awoke at 6:15. A small coffee and hop, the great start to the day that I look a little! The climb is hard but because of my lack of training and my bag too big for this kind of experience. Despite the laborious climb, children going to school down the stone stairs we are envied their ease and lightness. We loaded mules, moving slowly in the climb. We stop for very short pause to regain breath but especially at the dinner break that is worthwhile. We stop in a place (restaurant) where I spoke with many tourists who go to Tibet. It tells me how the place is charming and it's worth going. Believing that the steps to get there from Nepal was almost impassable, I put this project aside. For against, before a unanimous opinion also regarding the price and type of travel to Tibet from Kathmandu, I begin to change their minds and it pleases me well. We eat and talk together. In this small village, I read that the walk to get to Ghorepani is 1h30. We start walking at 13:15 and what was my surprise ^ At 14:00, we arrived in this village already more important. My Nepalese guide (Amir) explains that the village is divided in two. The lower part where we take a room and the upper part where we can have access to the Internet. And yes, what a surprise! I did not find access to the Internet. With the books I sell, I should always see if new payment are not returned to the method of Mongolian language. I arrive at 14:00 but since there is no electricity in the village at that time, nothing works and the Internet is not available. I therefore proite to the knowledge of two passengers, one Russian met a day before and one Dutch. We all speak of different things and this afternoon and password. We eat around 18:00 and I'm going to sleep early because we want to awake at 4.30 to climb the mountain of Poon Hill, where a superb view of the Himalia we must wait. We must do this climb in 45 minutes without our backpacks, which should ease considerably. I admit that after two days demanding for me, I do not warm to the idea of 1h30 trek before starting my day Tadhapani (our likely stop the next day).
I'm going to sleep and I wake up at night and heard a small thud and I realize that this is the rain. A part of me hopes that the rain will continue because this implies that the view to Poon Hill is not available and therefore we do not climb the mountain. My guide woke up at 4.30 to tell me it's raining and we can not go. I am quite pleased with this new small and take 2 hours more sleep in the Himalayan mountains. The next day I wake up and take my lunch in the guesthjouse and invited my guide to what is left fairly quickly. I prefer to do most of the road that morning and leaves us as an hour or two hours of walking in the afternoon. In addition, during the monsoon, the températaure is usually clearer in the morning. In order not to be surprised by a major downpour, I found that starting early is the best solution. We leave at 7.30am and therefore begin with a climb of about an hour. As against, for the first time we can see very many high mountains. After about an hour long climb, we stopped at a little break where the view is very pretty. A little later, when we reached the top of the hill, you begin to descend and m'annonce that much of the day will be in the descent. I am very happy! Landscapes in the forest are very nice and we see two monkeys. We continue and shortly before reaching Tadhapani our stop, a rather steep climb ahead. For against, the last stage of the day and we come to 11.30 to Tadhapani. Our stop here was planned but as I have two french friends who decide to continue, I hesitate to stick to my original schedule. But finally, as I have time and I hope that this adventure is fresh, I decided to stay here to enjoy the rest day. I stay here all day. A big monsoon rains hit the region for about 2 hours. A little hail and a lot of rain.
The next day, we must go to Chhömröng from Tadhapani. A large majority of the day is going to walk in the forest. The humidity is very present but the scenery compensates greatly. We arrive at Tadhapani early. Tadhapani is another village of beautiful high mountains where time seems to stand still. We arrive early and as usual, the rain started and lasted well into the afternoon. I realize at this point that the most beautiful moments are ultimately those meetings while eating. One speaks with people from around the world.
We finally arrive at Chhörömg when a heavy rain accompanied by hail hit the area. Therefore the race to climb the last climb. Not easy with my heavy bag well! The evening is perfect Chhömröng. With a couple of English, takes on Coke and rum ett laughs by telling stories in the past day! I took the décisioon in the day nee not going to camp down at Annapurna because of my weight sacc and temperature truly execrable. I am part of my decision to deuux English decide to do the same.
The next day, we make only a small descent of 45 minutes (very pics) to make the points where we can access the thermal baths. Needless to say we are getting there early. Around 11:00, we are already in the process of us bask in bath water (very) hot. About 30 minutes later, when the English couple decided to stay, I began. I eat a little and decided to go for tea on a terrace. Surprise, there are plenty of Catalan! I spoke with an English guy and he just m'annonce Barcelona. Wow, nice surprise. I told him that my girlfriend is there and that I lived for some time. I asked him what he is doing. He told me, I work for Lufthansa and its joint TAP (Air Portugal). Small world! I decided to trace my hotel and soup with the English. Another beautiful evening, but much less than that watered Chhömröng.
The next day, direction Ghandruk. I wake up as usual at the first light of morning. I am a little force may take up to 5h30. But I have no watch and no idea of the time, I do not want to re-sleep too deeply. We therefore leave to 7:00 with my guide towards Ghandruk. As I said earlier, since the monsoon is already present in Nepal, I prefer to enjoy the clear weather in the morning to make the most of the running of the day. I admit that walking under a heavy rain does not particularly like me. In addition to the real danger of falling (on walking on rocks and paths are not maintained), the rain makes it difficult to climb each step.
After a walk very fast, we can Ghandruk at 10:00 in the morning, in a Guesthouse (Guesthouse Annapurna). I will take all afternoon to write a little and soak up the sun. Around 14:00, a large group of Russian just sit beside me and it should not be too long to begin to talk together. With Ukrainian journalists are doing a report on Nepal. They are very nice. We bavardons much of the day until they learn that a colleague was ill. No wonder! The climb to get to Ghandruk difficult. But in addition, this woman was clearly overweight, which contributed greatly to her discomfort. Finally, more fear than harm. It was a crisis of hyper ventilation. Fortunately, two doctors involved in the team. In the evening we soupons and then we see a dance performance. You see traditional costumes and the atmosphere is gay.
The next day we go back to Naya Pool, our starting point for the trek in the Annapurna. It is a very easy walk, but still takes at least 4h30. It is a descent. The sun is present even if in the beginning, we believe that the storm will arrive shortly. In the morning, the guesthouse of Ghandruk, we see very dark clouds and hear the tonerre scolding. We decide to leave as soon as possible, and we avoid the rain for almost the entire walk. The sky is still cloudy but no big black clouds. After 1h30 of descent, we decide to stop taking tea. When we put our feet on the covered terrace, the sky begins to grumble. The deluge begins. Once again, we took the chance and avoid the rain. We expect about 30-45 minutes, until the rain stops and the rocks a little dry. We leave more beautiful and should not be very long before the sun is warmer and the atmosphere considerably. We then continue our descent on a road much safer, welcoming even four wheeled vehicles on occasion. The sun is strong and the heat is there. Finally after a good walk 4:00, we arrive at Naya Pool. We eat in a small restaurant and when I point with my bag and my Canadian flag on the back, a man running towards me (another Canadian) and am wondering who wins hockey. I reply that I have no idea. Then he asks me who won the election in British Columbia. I still say the same thing. I told him that I come from Quebec and I have no idea. While I am waiting for my dinner, an old Tibetan man installs his stuff he sells. He is smiling and seems very nice. We talk a little. He said that in 1959, he left his native Tibet with the Dalai Lama. Much of his life he was a mountain guide and porter, but it's age, he can no longer do. It essait now to earn a living selling things local crafts. At first, I do not want to buy anything but just talking with him I tell myself that perhaps I could buy what it wants to Yolanda (my girlfriend). I look a little necklaces and I selected one.
Last step between Pokhara and Naya Pool: In the morning we leave and go back on the main street of Naya Pool (a little village in height). From there we take the bus to a village we can begin our march to Sarankhot. We are doing about 1:00 drive with 20 minutes lunch break. We start walking. The terrain is flat and has nothing to do with the difficult climbs of the first days. We walk to a very good step and reach to 11.00 to Sarankhot. It is a hill overlooking Pokhara and offers an excellent view of the valley and lake Phew. Just before the climb to reach Sarankhot and seeing brisk walking we did, I offer my guide that we were going to Pokhara directememnt. I wanted a shower and wash my clothes. We stopped at a small restaurant for about a hour and then we begin a descent of more than one hour. Since we were in the afternoon, it was already very hot in the descent when the trees do not cover. At the height of the lake, we walk a little along the main road and my guide, seeing a taxi, ask him to stop. Excellent idea! We make the last two kilometers by taxi and with the sun's heat, the idea is excellent. I arrive at the hotel and jumped in the shower! What happiness! And just knowing that I had all the next day off, I was very happy. The next day, I decided to stay a good week. The place is nice and much quieter than Kathmandu. Pokhara is conducive to writing! I will enjoy a short break here to take my book (and perhaps complete). I'll see it later if I do another trek. I spend an entire week in the city of Pokhara. I re-see the same family of Quebec met in my guesthouse in Kathmandu. They are really nice and we decide to dinner together at a Chinese restaurant near my hotel. So I spend the week with a walk and discover the city of Pokhara. The lake adds greatly to the charm of the city and even if you can swim, do not be surprised to discover many things in the water: shoes, plastic containers, clothes ... At the end of my week off in Pokhara, I atable a coffee overlooking the lake. I see a foreign woman talking with a young Nepalese, Nepali. I ask the server if it is a professor of Nepali and he said yes. I will talk to him and I decided to start over from Nepal the following morning at 7.30am. I'm really happy because I feel it must be taught very well. I therefore begin the course with him and do an intensive week of courses in Nepal. I believe that a three-week intensive course, I get by quite well. The three weeks are very similar to the difference that I began to give courses of french two Nepalese who want to immigrate to Quebec. Despite this, I want to learn the french international. The morning I began my course of Nepal with my teacher to 7.00am-7:30 AM for about 1h30. I try to concentrate very hard to capture as much information as possible on the structure of language. I realize very quickly that the other languages that I learned helped me immensely to understand how to structure the discourse in Nepal. I make links with the Mongolian languages, Russian, Spanish, and this allows me to quickly structure Learn more nepalese in my head. After an intensive week of classes and practice with people in the street, I can pretty well myself and I know many people. One small hitch. Walking in the street, I know many people and often people look at me (I am a foreigner and my appearance is different). In the journey of 30 minutes between my school in my guesthouse. Along the way I smile to many people and said "namaste - hello". I think it is the best way to initiate conversation. I also realize how much people are happy that I try to speak their language. One night, after the course of french that I give, I return to feet and as usual, I smile at people who cross my path. A man sits on the edge of the road and looks at me. I therefore mouse and I said, "you want to fight?" Surprised, I said to him: "what?". I replied a little louder: "you want to fight?" I understand when he saw my smile and my good mood as arrogance. I continued my way and made his remarks. This comment upset me a little. To make sure not to submit to fear, I express to slowly walk the next day, where the man was. The following days will pass without problem. My Nepali is improving rapidly and I myself am surprised at my ability to speak in a language that I knew absolutely not three weeks ago.
Travelogue of Florence Rhodain Home trekking
Return trek with a multitude of images in mind ... Life in the Himalayas is a common aesthetic. With each step the eyes find a new scene: still amazing, so beautiful that the desire is great to get away but you should ask the next step on the road safe to walk ankle ... The eyes are and it is again a new scene emerges and submerges the soul by the beauty of the intensity of life that emerges.
Step after step, day by day I am still moved by the beauty of landscapes, which by the Nepali beyond me proudly riding in his horse, whose saddle is based on a traditional coverage, the string of donkeys who cross me, bearing on their flanks cages filled with chickens, announcing their arrival so nice with their traditional heavy bells by hanging brinquebalants bridge connecting two sides of mountains, by children in uniform, holding hands, out for school, laughing, running, squabbling, by taking the toddler just on his legs, full of mucus, in response to my waving a salvation so jovial and eyes widening as if my throat greenhouse, by the Nepalese , head tilted forward, which attempts to disentangle his long black hair, the monkey suddenly comes steal food from a group of Nepalese playing dice.
Yaks, water buffalo, monkeys, horses, donkeys, birds, share life with Himalayan Nepal who cultivate their fields and live a little tourism. There is no road to reach their remote village, then with donkeys and porters that the products of first necessity to reach them. Difficult to 500 meters without passing several carriers. They are the ones that fascinated me the most. They can cover their backs loads seemingly too heavy for a donkey, they made their own bamboo baskets they carry on their backs only related to their foreheads by a thong. Full weight of the basket is based on the home front, how the neck can face such a charge? It is a mystery to me. In the baskets, one finds everything, but especially in quantity, it is not unusual to discover a bottle of gas that a normal individual would have difficulty carrying on a flat surface, but the bottle is surrounded by more other objects, such as if a load was not enough! Women and children also carry surprising weight; what relativise load backpack resting on my shoulders ...
At every turn, I discovered a farmer in old age after screaming his two oxen to make progress in its small fields in order to draw a furrow prior to sowing rice. The work seems daunting. The oxen are progressing slowly and painfully, the farmer shouts of his whole body to monitor the progress of the animals. The Himalayan mountain seems to have been carved in espaliers since time immemorial for the cultivation of rice, corn and other millets. The ordering of these levels for hundreds of meters of elevation is fascinating and opens up the huge work done by generations of farmers, fight against erosion and heavy rains of the monsoon.
Traditional farms are not without charm, carefully maintained, decorated with flowers, earth colored walls, in arriving at one of them a shelter suggests an ox, a donkey, hay and a charm that almost surreal view magi not surprise me any more.
Ressourcer stopped for me, I meet a Nepalese of advanced age. I quickly discovered it in an eye coquin, and taking my camera, I realize that the great-grandmother is a surprising joviality. The dealing frankly pretext to immortalize its image, it acts as a child of 8 years focusing on its power of seduction, with the candor associated with his innocence. We both laugh chips while playing to try to hold flowers in his nostrils for the photo. After each picture I shows the result on the small digital camera, and then invariably part in communicative laughter. I quickly unloaded my camera in this game, but that simple joy emerged from this exchange! That is several times that I experiment the camera as a pretext for establishing a communication, this time the experience has exceeded my expectation, and that communication is a communion that linked me to this old woman. We left with tears in her eyes, tears of joy, life, and recognition, a brief encounter soul to soul that has left an indelible trace me